THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[19:00:00] SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I got to say yes, I'll go. Send me. You bet you, I'll serve. And like you all I'm still standing. So those of us who have kind of gone through the ringer as Mr. Trump has makes me respect you even more that you're here and you're putting your efforts and you're putting reputations, you are putting relationships on the line to do the right thing for this country because you are ready to make America great again.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Well, I am here because like you, I know that it is now or never. I'm in it to win it because we believe in America and we love our freedom and if you love your freedom, thank a vet. Thank a vet and know that the United States military deserves a commander-in-chief who loves our country passionately and will never apologize for this country.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

A new commander-in-chief who will never leave our men behind. A new commander-in-chief, one who will never lie to the families of the fallen.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

I'm in it because just last week we're watching our sailors suffer and be humiliated on a world stage at the hands of the Iranians captors in violation of international law because a weak need to postulator and chief has decided that America will lead from behind and he who would negotiate deals, kind of like with the skills of a community organizer, maybe organizing a neighborhood tea, yes, well, he deciding that no America would apologize and as part of the deal, as the enemy sends a message to the rest of the world that they capture and we coattail and we apologize and then we bend over and say thank you, enemy. We are ready for a change. We are ready and our troops deserve the best.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

A new commander-in-chief whose track record of success has proven he is the master at the art of the deal. He is one who negotiates.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Only one candidate's record of success proves he is the master of the art of the deal. He is beholding to no one but we the people. How refreshing. He's perfectly positioned to let you make America great again. Are you ready for that, Iowa?

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

No more pussy footing around. Our troops deserve the best. You deserve the best. He is from the private sector, not a politician. Can I get a hallelujah?

CROWD: Hallelujah!

PALIN: Where in the private sector you have to balance budgets in order to prioritize to keep the main thing the main thing and he knows the main thing, a president is to keep us safe economically and militarily. He knows the main thing and he knows how to lead the charge so troops hang in there because help's on the way because he better than anyone, isn't he known for being able to command fire. Are you ready for a commander-in-chief?

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Are you ready for a commander-in-chief that will let their warriors do their job and go kick ISIS' ass.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Ready for someone who will secure our boarders, to secure our jobs and to secure our homes. Ready to make America great again. Are you ready to stump for Trump? I'm here to support the next president of the United States, Donald Trump.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Now, eight years ago, I warned that Obama's promised fundamental transformation of America that he was going to take more from you and leave America weaker on the world stage and that we would soon be unrecognizable. Well, it's one promise that Obama kept but he didn't do it alone and this is important to remember. Especially those of you like me, a member of the GOP. This is what we have to remember in this very contested, competitive great primary race. Trump's candidacy, it has exposed not just that tragic, the ramifications of that detrail of the transformation of our country, but two, he has exposed the complicity on both sides of the aisle that has enabled this.

[19:05:05] OK? Trump, what he's been able to do which is really ticking people off which I'm glad about, he's going rogue left and right, man. That's why he's doing so well.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

He's been able to tear the bill off this idea of the system. The way that the system really works. And please hear me on this, I want you guys to understand more and more how the system, the establishment works and has gotten us into the troubles that we are in in America. The permanent political class has been doing the bidding of their campaign donor class and that's why you see that the boarders are kept open for them, for their cheap labor that they want to come in. That's why they've been bloating budgets. It's for crony capitalist to be able to suck off of them. It's why we see these lousy trade deals that gut our industry for special interest elsewhere.

We need someone new who has the power and whose in the position to bust up that establishment, to make things great again. It's part of the problem. His candidacy which is a movement, it's a force, it's a strategy, it proves as long as the politicals, they get to keep their titles and their perks and their media ratings, they don't really care who wins elections. Believe me on this. And the proof of this, look what's happening today our own GOP machine, the establishment, they would who assemble the political landscape, they are attacking their own frontrunner.

Now, would the left ever, would the DNC ever come after their frontrunner and her supporters? No. Because they don't eat their own. They don't self-detract. But for the GOP establishment to be coming after Donald Trump supporters even with accusations that are so false, they are so busted the way that this thing works. We, you, a diverse, dynamic, needed support base that they would attack and now some of them even whispering, they're ready to throw in for Hillary over Trump because they can't afford to see the status quo go otherwise they won't be able to slurping off the gravy train that's been feeding them all these years.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

They don't want that to end. Well, and then funny, ha, ha, not funny. But now what they're doing is well, Trump and his trumpetors -- well, they are not conservative enough. Oh my goodness gracious. What the heck would the establishment know about the conservatism? Tell me, is this conservative? GOP majorities, handing Obama a blank check to fund ObamaCare and Planned Parenthood and illegal immigration that competes for your jobs and turning safety nets into hammocks and all these new democrat voters that are going to be coming on over the border as we keep the borders open and bequeathing our children millions in new debt and refusing to fight back for our solvency and our sovereignty even though that's why we elected them in sentiment the majority to D.C.?

No! If they're not willing to do that, how are they to tell us that we're not conservative enough in order to be able to make these changes in America that we know need to be made? Now they're concerned about this ideological purity. Give me a break. Who are they to say that? Oh and tell somebody like Phyllis Schlafly, she is the Republican conservative movement icon and hero and a Trump supporter. Tell her she's not conservative enough. How about the rest of us? Right wing and bitter clinging crowd clingers over our guns, our gut and our religions and our constitutions, tell us that we're not ready enough. Yes, coming from the establishment, right.

Well, he, being the only one whose been willing, he's got to guts to wear the issues that needs to be spoken about and debated on his sleeve. Where the rest of some of these establishment candidates, they just wanted to duck and hide, they did not want to talk about these issues until he brought them up. In fact, they've been wearing this political correctness kind of like a suicide vest. And enough is enough. These issues that Donald Trump talks about had to be debated and he brought them to the forefront and that's why we are where we are today with good discussion, a good heated and very competitive primary is where we are.

[19:10:06] And now go, to be lectured that, well, you guys are all sounding kind of angry is what we're hearing from the establishment. Dug on -- we're angry, justify our blitz though. Yes. You know, they stomp on our neck and then they tell us just chill. Just relax. Well, look, we are mad and we've been had. They need to get used to it. This election is more than just your basic ABCs. Anybody but Clinton. It's more than that this go around. When we're talking about a nation without borders, when we're talking about bankruptcies and our federal government, debt that our children and grandchildren, they will never be able to pay off.

When we're talking about no more Reaganesque power that comes from strength, power through strength, well then we're talking about our very existence. No, we're not going to chill. In fact, it's time to drill, baby, drill down and hold these folks accountable and we need to stop the self-sabotage and elect new, an independent, a candidate who represents that and represents America first, finally. Pro- constitution. Common sense solutions that he brings to the table. Yes, the status quo has got to go. Otherwise we're just going to get more the same with their failed agenda, it can't be salvaged, it must be savaged and Donald Trump is the right one to do that.

Are you ready for new and are you ready for the leader who will let you make America great again? It's going to take a whole team. It's going to take a whole team. Fighters, all of us in the private sector. Fighters in the House and the Senate. So, our friends who are fighters in the House and Senate today, they need to stay there and help out. They can help our new leader and the positions that they are in. Let me say something really positive about one of those individuals. Rand Paul. I'm going to tell you about that libertarian streak in him that is healthy. Because he knows you only go to war if you're determined to win the war and you quit fitting the bill for these nations who are oil rich we're paying for some of their skirmishes that have been going on for centuries where they're fighting each other and yelling Allu Akbar, calling jihad on each other's heads forever and ever.

Like I have said before. Let them duke it out and let Allah sort it out. We'll fight for American interest and as Donald Trump has said, other nations where we have been fitting the bill. But we haven't prioritized our own domestic budgets well enough to be able to afford what we're doing overseas. Things are going to change under President Trump.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

So we can be an unbeatable team with fighters there in the House and the Senate. Yes, our leader is a little bit different. He's a multibillionaire. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But it's amazing. He is not elitist at all. Oh, I just hope you all get to know him more and more as a person and a family man and what he's been able to accomplish. It's kind of this quiet generosity. Yes, maybe his largest kind of an awesome, which he gets in the way of that quite generosity, and his compassion. But if you know him as a person and you'll get to know him more and more you'll have even more respect not just for his record of success and the good intentions for America but who he is as a person. He's not an elitist.

And yes, as a multibillionaire, we still root him on because he roots us on. And he spent his life with the working man and he tells us Joe six packs, he said, you know, I worked very, very hard and I've succeeded. Hugely, I've succeed he says and he says, and I want you to succeed too. And that is refreshing because he as he builds things, he builds big things, things that touch the sky, big infrastructure that puts other people to work. He has spent his life looking up and respecting the hard hats and the steel toed boots and the work ethic that you all have within you. He being an optimist, passionate about equal opportunity to work.

[19:15:02] The self-made success of his, you know that he doesn't get his power, his high off of opium. Other people's money like a lot of dopes in Washington do. They're addicted to opium where they take other people's money and then their high is getting to redistribute it, right? And then they get to be really popular people when they get to give out your hard money. Well, he doesn't do that. His power, his passion, it's the fabric of America. And it's woven by work ethic and dreams and drive and faith in the almighty. What a combination. Are you ready to share in that again, Iowa? Because that's going to let you make America great again.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

He's going to be able to empower you to look out for one another again instead of relying on a bankrupt government to supposedly be looking out for you. No! And I think you're ready for that. In Iowa, I believe too that you are ready to see that our vets are treated better than the illegal immigrants are treated better in this country.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

And you are ready for the tax reform he talks about, to open up Main Street again. And you are ready to stop the race baiting and the division based on color and zip code to unify around the right issues. The issue important to me or I wouldn't be endorsing in pro-life for Second Amendment, strict constitutionality. Those things that are unifying values and they're time tested truth involved. These are unifying values from big cities and tiny towns from big mountain states and the big apple to the big beautiful heartland that is in between.

Now, finally, friends, I want you to try to picture this. It's a nice thing to picture, exactly one year from tomorrow former President Barack Obama, he packs up the teleprompters and the selfie sticks and the Greek columns and all that hopey changey stuff and then he heads on back to Chicago where I'm sure he can find some community there to organize again. There he can finally look up -- President Obama will be able to look up and there over his head he'll be able to see that shining, towering Trump tower.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Yes, Barack Obama, he built that and that says a lot. Iowa, you say a lot being here tonight supporting the right man who will allow you to make America great again. God bless you. God bless the United States of America and our next president of the United States Donald J. Trump.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to give him hell. I just want to thank Sarah and Todd. Just really amazing people. This is a woman that from day one, I said, if I ever do this, I have to get her support. She feels it, she understands it better than anybody. And Sarah, on behalf of myself, my family and the country, I want to thank you very much. Thank you, darling. Thank you.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: All right. You just heard Sarah Palin giving her endorsement for Donald Trump. That was a pretty riveting speech. I don't think anyone could say otherwise. Zinger after zinger, one liner after one liner. That was something else to watch. That was something that Donald Trump is hoping turn the tide for him in the state of Iowa where she is so popular to evangelicals. You just heard her bring in his faith in the almighty among many other things that are red meat to those evangelical voters.

I want to go straight now to the co-chair for the Ted Cruz campaign Bob Vander Plaats, Trump supporter Jeff Lord who served as White House political director for President Reagan and our chief political analyst Gloria Borger.

Gloria, do you agree with my assessment? I mean, that was something to watch, that was Sarah Palin at the best she can be to the people who love to see her.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. And it was kind of deja vu all over again if you recall Sarah Palin's speech at the McCain convention where she was riveting. I think this time she did two things. It was kind of an ode to Donald Trump for those evangelicals here talking about and for conservatives who might have questions about Trump say, verses Ted Cruz and it was a complete dis of the Republican establishment and that is always attractive to Republican based voters. Particularly, Iowa caucus goers. She said the establishment has been so busted as she put it and that Donald Trump is going to take on the establishment to talk about the dopes in Washington.

She gave a little shout out to Rand Paul. She reminded people in Iowa that Donald Trump may be rich but he's not an elitist. He is on your side. So, she checked every box she had to check.

[19:20:34] BURNETT: I mean, she really did. And Jeff Lord, you're sitting here nodding. I mean, look, you were chuckling and laughing during part of it. I think that was part of what is compelling about this.

JEFFREY LORD, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Right.

BURNETT: She reprised some of her old favorite lines, right? She called him a rogue, you know, she made her comments. She could be salty at times, she also laughed at Donald Trump at one point.

LORD: Right.

BURNETT: You know what I mean, it's going to be huge. I mean, she had the ability to do that.

LORD: She did a very, very good speech. I mean, this audience, I mean, her speech was directed primarily at the number two audience, the conservative audience and that is particularly important considering the flak that Donald Trump has gotten the last few days from Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, et cetera. Sarah Palin is an anecdote to that. I mean, I think that she can help a lot with Donald Trump in terms of conservatives and the conservative movement. And the second thing which is very, very important is the establishment critique. That is a huge issue with a lot of Republicans.

BURNETT: Yes.

LORD: And her critique on that, I mean, it was pretty scathing. And that frankly is the kind of thing that you do here on talk radio. That's the kind of thing you hear with a lot of grassroots Republicans and she was very good on it.

BURNETT: What do you say, Bob? I mean, obviously you're sitting there on the Ted Cruz side of things. Sarah Palin, you know, endorsed Ted Cruz for Senate, something he called game changing saying he wouldn't be in the Senate without it. She now is coming out here ahead of the Iowa caucus when Ted Cruz is neck and neck with Donald Trump endorsing Donald Trump. So, this is a very big moment. First of all, would you agree that this speech was what that audience wanted, that this is a powerful speech and going to help with the evangelicals?

BOB VANDER PLAATS, NATIONAL CO-CHAIR FOR TED CRUZ CAMPAIGN: Well, Sarah Palin does definitely give a good speech and it's a good endorsement for Donald Trump. And we do like Sarah Palin. But as Jeffrey knows and Gloria knows and I know, when it comes down to the Iowa caucuses a week from Monday night, the Iowa voter are very independent, they're very savvy, they usually don't let people tell them who to vote for. They're assessing the candidates and I would say right now with Ted Cruz being in first or second place with over 50 percent of the Iowa caucus goers, he's in great shape to perform on February 1st. We know this race is going to go right down to the wire and I think people are going to be drawn to Ted Cruz and the consistency of convictions that allows him to be the real conservative in this race.

BURNETT: What do you think, Gloria, it was, when it came down to it for Sarah Palin that made her choose Donald Trump over Ted Cruz, given that she has endorsed Ted Cruz so publicly last time around when he ran for Senate?

BORGER: You know, it's really hard to say. Maybe it's because Ted Cruz complains about Washington but he is in Washington. Maybe the fact that he's in the United States Senate. I think she likes Ted Cruz an awful lot and I don't think she's going to go out there and say, Ted Cruz is a terrible guy.

BURNETT: Which she didn't do. I mean, she did --

BORGER: Right.

BURNETT: -- get to the establishment so aggressively. She didn't go after Ted Cruz specifically.

BORGER: She did not. She did not. She went after the establishment. And I think she's going to be very pro-Trump. I mean, she summarized it when she said, we are mad, we've been had. Right?

BURNETT: Uh-hm.

BORGER: And that is the sense of Republican based party voters. They are mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore. And they want somebody who understand that and who represents that. And I think it's also a little of celebrity and celebrity. I mean, I think she sees Donald Trump as a celebrity.

BURNETT: They speak that language. Yes.

BORGER: Yes. He said to her, you're hired, right? And because they're a little bit alike.

BURNETT: That is true. I mean, Jeffrey Lord, you know, to Gloria's point when she talked about Washington and the whole corrupt system, it cannot be salvaged, it must be savaged.

LORD: Right.

BURNETT: But this is -- what are we going to see here, you know, it was interesting -- there was nothing wrong with it but you know, if Donald Trump standing on the side and at the end, he goes and they're standing together and, you know, it almost looked like a kind of a vice president sort of a thing. Obviously, you know, this is an endorsement, it's not that. But what role is she going to have? Is that what part of this endorsement was about?

LORD: Well, as I understand she's expressing interest in being secretary of energy. I think she would be a good secretary of energy.

BURNETT: So, that's be part of the deal here giving this endorsement to her.

LORD: You know, I have no idea but we are dealing with somebody who does the art of the deal. I don't know. But I mean, she genuinely believes what she believes here and she's a genuine conservative. She really is quiet passionate about this. And so, I don't think that she is frankly that cynical. I mean, you know, if something came her way which would be likely in the Trump administration and frankly, you know, probably in the Cruz administration for that matter. Then she might consider it. But I believe she does this for principle. I mean, she's in it for her believes.

BURNETT: All right. Thank you all three very much. Much more on tonight's breaking news. Donald Trump's bombshell announcement, Sarah Palin's endorsement that you just saw there. Trump's son is live OUTFRONT with me next.

And breaking news. Protesters gathering now in Michigan calling for the governor to resign. We'll be back in just a moment talking about the toxic water.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:29:35] BURNETT: Breaking news tonight, in the Republican race for president. Moments ago, former Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin throwing her weight behind Donald Trump in a rousing speech. This is a clear snub to Ted Cruz who she very influentially endorsed in his race for Senate. He says he wouldn't be there without her. It also could be a wake-up call to the influential evangelical voters in Iowa who could decide who wins that crucial state in the caucuses.

OUTFRONT now, a Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, also the founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition Ralph Reed. Donald Trump campaign spokesperson Katrina Pierson. And CNN political commentator Ben Ferguson.

OK. Good to have all of you with us.

Ralph Reed, let me start with you because Maggie Haberman in "The New York Times" just quoted as saying, Palin's brand among evangelicals is as gold as the faucets in Trump Tower. How big of a deal is the speech we just saw, the endorsement we just saw?

RALPH REED, FOUNDER, FAITH AND FREEDOM COALITION (via telephone): I think it's a very big deal. Sarah Palin is highly respected and very well regarded by evangelicals and Tea Party activists and by grassroots conservatives and the Republican Party.

As you pointed out, Erin, she played a critical role in Ted Cruz's election by his own testimony. She was the jet speed oil that really caused Nikki Haley to break off tackle in a very crowded primary in South Carolina when she ran for governor. It was in single digits. She did the same thing for Marco Rubio in Florida.

Obviously, you have to give credit to the candidates as well in their campaigns. But, look, I don't think endorsements alone are going to lead to victory for anybody. Particularly, for Donald Trump who is underperformed for the voters, especially in Iowa, she's an important validating voice.

BURNETT: So, Tony, you know, you just heard Ralph talking about Ted Cruz and how crucial Sarah Palin's endorsement was, according to Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz said that's why he's in the Senate. You know, Ted Cruz has obviously been slamming Donald Trump for New York values which he described as money and the media and being socially liberal.

Sarah Palin took that head on. She took that head on and here's exactly what she said about Donald Trump not being an elitist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Doggone right we're angry, justifiably so. Yes. You know they stomp on our neck and they tell us just chill. OK. Just relax.

Well, look, we are mad and we've been had. They need to get use to it. This election is more than just your basic ABCs, anybody but Clinton. It's more than that this go around.

He is not elitist at all. I just hope you all get to know him more and more as a person and family man and what he's been able to accomplish and with his -- it's kind of this quiet generosity, yes, maybe his largess kind of, I don't know, some would say gets in the way of the quiet generosity and his compassion. But if you know him as a person and you'll get to know him more and more, you'll have even more respect not just for his record of success and the good intentions for America, but who he is as a person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Tony, you have spoken out positive things about Ted Cruz. Are you reconsidering? Are you now still thinking about Donald Trump when you hear things like Sarah Palin just said about him as a person?

TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: Well, I have not made an endorsement in the race and have not decided. Look, to Ralph's point, I think this is an important endorsement for Trump. I don't know about the gold faucets in Trump Towers, I've never seen them.

But I think for the evangelical voters, I think there's some values. Now, how important will this endorsement be? Obviously, I think, who you asked, if you're the one getting the endorsement, it's extremely important. If you're the one not getting it, it's not as important.

But I think for those voters who are still on the fence, I think it has an effect. Although, what we're seeing happening is more and more voters are choosing their sides and that obviously, comes down to the caucus day, but I think she could be very helpful for him in getting unattached voters or undecided voters at this point.

BURNETT: Ben Ferguson, what do you think? You've been, you know, vocally, positive, Ted Cruz. How big of a deal is this for Donald Trump?

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think it's a big deal specifically today after the issues that he had at Liberty University. This changes the conversation. He had a problem with the evangelicals today when he was quoting Two Corinthians. And I think bringing Sarah Palin -- BURNETT: Because he didn't know Second Corinthians is how you refer

to it, is what you're saying, right? That was, OK.

FERGUSON: Right, and there's a lot of evangelicals that said that's the worst form of pandering that they've ever seen in the Republican Party during a primary. I think this is going to help change the narrative.

The other perk here for this is, look, if for some reason they call the Second Amendment, two amendment, Sarah Palin can bail him out there on guns as well. So, he's got a perk there with her as well.

I don't think voters, however, are going to Trump, all the sudden, from Ted Cruz or another candidate into this. They're smart voters. That's one of the things that people always seem to underestimate. Iowa voters are very well educated and smart. And they usually do not respond in a major way to endorsements.

Yes, it's going to help him. Yes, it changes the headline.

[19:35:00] But I don't know if somehow got to massively turn this race upside down and I don't think it's going to turn it upside down moving forward after Iowa. I think this is an Iowa, you know, big endorsement. And then, after this, it's just going to be Sarah Palin on the bus with him.

BURNETT: So, Katrina, how excited are you? Did Ben pour enough water on your parade? Or do you really think this is going to be a game changer for you?

KATRINA PIERSON, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN SPOKESPERSON: Yes, I'd just like to point out to Ben, though, it won't be a bus. It will be on a plane.

But I will say that anyone who discounts --

FERGUSON: Who's the elitist?

PIERSON: -- the endorsement of Sarah Palin really doesn't understand the function of the grassroots. She has a strong base of support and they trust her. When she endorses someone, that matters. And it has mattered in several races, like you've just heard.

This endorsement isn't just important because it's Sarah Palin. But this is also after the endorsement of Phyllis Schlafly, another woman that is highly respected and highly regarded in the pro-life circles and in the conservative circles alike. This is a big day for Donald Trump.

BURNETT: All right. There was something else I want to say. She was very colorful with her language and salty, as she is, her fans find enduring. Her haters find it awful. She talked about, quote/unquote, "kicking ISIS ass", she said no more pussy footing around. And here's what she had to say about what's going on in the Middle East with jihad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PALIN: Calling jihad on each other's heads for ever and ever. Like I've said before, let them do get out and let all us sorted out. We'll fight for American interest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So, Tony, is that going to resonate beyond the evangelical community or is that going to turn people off?

PERKINS: Well, you know, this is a different election cycle where I think she did tap in as you were talking earlier about the anti- establishment. People are fed up with the politics as usual and that includes both Democrat and Republican. I think she was really reaching to group that goes beyond evangelicals, although evangelicals, and this is what I think attract them to Donald Trump so much, is that he is refusing to be silenced by political correctness.

And if there's a society today that's attacked every time they speak something called the bigots or whatever, haters, it's the evangelicals. So, I think they're connecting with him over the fact that he refuses to be silenced, even if they may not agree with him on everything. They agree with the fact that he's standing up and speaking what he believes and they like that. It's refreshing.

PIERSON: But, Erin --

BURNETT: Katrina, Ralph, Ben, Tony, thank you all very much.

And OUTFRONT next, much more on the breaking news, Donald Trump's bombshell announcement, Sarah Palin's endorsement. As I said, Eric Trump is going to be my guest in just a couple of moments here on the show.

Plus, breaking news, a new CNN poll showing Bernie Sanders crushing Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. I mean, this is a stunning margin. Her campaign spokesman going to talk about it here OUTFRONT tonight.

Are you ready for a commander in chief that will let our warriors do their job and go kick ISIS' ass?

(APPLAUSE)

Ready for someone who will secure our borders, to secure our jobs and to secure our homes? Ready to make America great again. Are you ready to stump for Trump?

I'm here to support the next president of the United States, Donald Trump!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Trump is running neck and neck with Senator Ted Cruz in Iowa, and this endorsement could give Trump new momentum going into the caucuses which, of course, are now less than two weeks away.

OUTFRONT tonight, Donald Trump's son, Eric Trump.

All right. So, you just heard Sarah Palin endorsing your father. You know, how well do they know each other? I mean, this is a very big endorsement coming at a crucial time.

ERIC TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S SON: Well, she's got to know him pretty well. And how great was that, by the way? You can almost see that charismatic side of her that's made her so successful in this campaign, right? I mea, she was off the cuff. She was fun. She was funny. She wasn't reading teleprompter.

I mean, I think they have a lot of similarities in a certain crazy way.

BURNETT: So, they have gotten to know each other.

TRUMP: She's gotten to know us. She's gotten his family. She's gotten to know his wife. She really likes him and she really cares about him and she really believes he'll do a phenomenal job. I know he'll do phenomenal job. I mean, there's no one in the world that knows him better than I do and he would do such a great job as commander in chief.

BURNETT: So, you've met her. What do you think about their camaraderie? I mean, what was -- I mean, I guess, the process, people, this is a big moment for this. You know, people are calling it a bombshell.

TRUMP: Yes.

BURNETT: How did this get to where it is? I mean, how many times did you meet her? She came by? What happened?

TRUMP: Well, I think this is bombshell. I mean, I think this is a major, major endorsement. Everybody's been seeking her endorsement. She's got a lot of respect from a lot of different groups. I mean, obviously, the Tea Party is one of them. The evangelicals is another one.

I mean, it is a major, major endorsement. And, you know, she's kind of the anti establishment candidate. She's been hung over the fire so many times and I think my father has as well. So many have tried to put her down over time and I think they'd tried to do the same with my father and she's been a fighter. And again, she's been that off the cuff person who's gone out and fought and said what's on her mind and it's kind of refreshing to do that.

And even that last clip you played, let's go kick ISIS' you know what, I mean --

BURNETT: Yes, you can say it. It's cable. But that's OK.

TRUMP: It's very much like my father. I mean, he thinks the same way. He feels the same way, and you know, I think it's refreshing to tell you the truth.

BURNETT: So, she did talk a bit about him. He's been accused by Ted Cruz, as you know, recently for New York values, which Ted Cruz said is money and the media, and all these socially liberally listing off things from his past in terms of his point of view.

She talked about the elitist issue and here's exactly how she addressed it just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PALIN: He is not elitist at all. I just hope you all get to know him more and more as a person and a family man and what he's been able to accomplish and with his, it's kind of the quiet generosity, yes, maybe his largesse, kind of, I don't know, some would say gets in the way of that quiet generosity and his compassion.

But if you know him as a person and you'll get to know him more and more, you'll have even more respect, not just for his record of success and the good intentions for America, but who he is as a person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[19:45:07] BURNETT: And so, I mean, obviously, that fits with the man you know. But how important was this for him to get her to say that?

TRUMP: Well, it's true he's not an elitist. He might be a wealthy guy who's done very well in the world and maybe he's the epitome of the American Dream for so many people. But he's also, you know, the most humble.

If he'll go out, there's nothing he had rather do than grab a cheeseburger with me. I mean, that's just the type of guy he is. He's an all American guy.

BURNETT: He loves McDonald's, I will say. You're not lying about that.

TRUMP: Every time we fly around, we're also --

BURNETT: The guy loves McDonald's.

TRUMP: That's who he is.

All right. He did this, though, in part this is going to help with evangelical voters. He's been struggling to connect with those voters. He never seems totally comfortable talks about his religion. Here's your dad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But Two Corinthians, right, Two Corinthians, 3-17, that's the whole ballgame. Where the spirit of the Lord, right? Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

I have a great relationship with God. I like to be good. I don't like to have to ask for forgiveness. I am good. I don't do a lot of things that are bad. I tried to do nothing that's bad.

When I take, you know, when we go to church and when I drink my little wine which is about the only wine I drink and have my little cracker -- I guess, that's a form of asking for forgiveness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: What is the role faith play in your father's life?

TRUMP: I think a big one, albeit I think it's a personal role, right? I mean, everybody has different ways and some manifest it very publicly, and very, very open about it, and some people keep a bible next to their bed and they kind of do their own thing and I think he probably falls into that latter category. I think he's becoming more open about it, but I think it is something that, you know, he's had in his life. It's something that he's brought up to us.

You know, I laugh at that something like that. I mean, it's funny. He's in front of a crowd of people and he's being fun and he's being, you know, humorous, and he's kind of opening up to a question that somebody gave him to sort of pick apart a sound bite just a little foolish, just a little contrite. I mean, he's a group of people having a lot of fun.

But faith means a lot to my father and he's a guy who is a very moral guy and he's a guy who's incredibly charitable guy. I mean, there's no one that does more for charities than us and our family. And he's an amazing. I mean, he's an amazing person and he wants the best for this country and that's why he's doing this. I mean, he would not be doing this. He would be sacrificing his life to go through this process if he does not want the best for America. And, you know, he cares about this deeply. He cares about it deeply.

BURNETT: Eric, thank you very much. Good to see you again.

TRUMP: Thank you, Erin. Good to see you.

BURNETT: And next, a new CNN poll showing Bernie Sanders leading Hillary Clinton by a two to one margin in New Hampshire. Clinton's campaign spokesman, my guest, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: Breaking news tonight, a new CNN poll showing Bernie Sanders trouncing Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, opening a nearly 2-1 lead. Here's the numbers: Sanders at 60 percent, Clinton at 33 percent. That is in New Hampshire.

As the Democratic race tightens both nationally and in those crucial early states, the Clinton team is facing a hard reality. Her race against a surging Bernie Sanders could turn out to be a long, hard slog.

Joining me now is Brian Fallon, press secretary for the Hillary for America campaign.

OK. A poll like this comes out today. Hillary Clinton now losing to Bernie Sanders nearly 2-1 in the state of New Hampshire. Are you guys just going to give up on New Hampshire and say, OK, done, that one we're going to write off, we're moving on?

BRIAN FALLON, HILLARY CLINTON CAMPAIGN PRESS SECRETARY: Not at all. I don't think we would dispute that Bernie Sanders is doing well in a lot of polls in New Hampshire but I think even folks from CNN would admit that this poll is an outlier in terms of the margin that it shows Senator Sanders leading by.

But, look, like I said, there's no doubt that Senator Sanders is faring well in a lot of polls, especially in New Hampshire. But here's an important thing, Erin, as he has started to rise in the polls, we're starting to see more scrutiny of his record and the positions he's taken. And with his turn in the spotlight over the last few weeks, we've actually seen him prove rather unsteady, you saw him have to flip flop on a major gun vote on Saturday right before the debate. He then rushed out two hours before the debate on Sunday night, he rushed out a health care plan he had been holding back for weeks.

Once the details were out, a number of progressives from Paul Krugman to Ezra Klein have discredited it as short on details. And then at the debate itself, when the topic turned to foreign policy, he actually called for normalizing relations with Iran. The campaign has refused to say whether that was a mistake or not. I'd be interested to hear somebody from the campaign walk that back or not.

BURNETT: So, you think that's going to hurt? I mean, this poll I'm looking at, our CNN poll, is January 13th through 18th. I mean, it is up to the minute.

FALLON: Here's what -- so as more scrutiny comes to Senator Sanders, he has more explaining to about a lot of his positions. At the end of the day, voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond are going to consider is who is the serious person, substantive person, seasoned person that could actually take the fight to the Republicans not just in November but get things done as president.

And the scene that just played out on this network a few moments ago is actually going to loom large, I think. Sarah Palin's endorsement is a huge coup for Donald Trump, no doubt about that.

BURNETT: So, you do think that?

FALLON: It is causing a freak out in the Republican Party writ large. And that is why you're seeing the RNC starting to help prop up Bernie Sanders' candidacy in the Democratic primary. Strangely, the day of the debate, you saw the top spokesman for the RNC saying they are rooting for Senator Sanders.

They know the only thing that can save the Republican Party is if someone like Donald Trump gets nominated, with Sarah Palin's endorsement that just became a much closer possibility. They know the only thing that helps them next year is if Senator Sanders emerges on the Democratic side.

BURNETT: So, let me ask you a couple of questions on this, though, that says, you know, you're talking about New Hampshire. It's not just New Hampshire, right? There was a national poll out of Monmouth, respected polling group, with the headline, quote, "Sanders cuts into the Clinton lead." That's their headline.

In this poll, Clinton support drops from 59 to 52 percent in one month. Sanders went from 26 percent to 37 percent. She dropped. He rose. That means what was a 33-point lead insurmountable a month ago is now 15. If you keep going on this trajectory, you're within a margin of error.

FALLON: Here's the reality, Hillary Clinton has been through the ringer. She has been the singular focus of not just opponents on the Democratic side but also all the different candidates running for the Republican nomination have been trying to attack her to show their bona fides to a conservative audience. Senator Sanders --

BURNETT: They have been busy attacking Donald Trump.

FALLON: Hardly. Actually, most of them are trying to cater to his supporters. They've been going after Hillary Clinton in those debates. They try to one-up each other with their ferocity and their attacks on Hillary Clinton.

And I think that an untested person that has not gone through that scrutiny but is starting to is Senator Sanders.

[19:55:01] And so, we'll see over the coming weeks if he can explain these plans that he has laid out on health care. He hasn't said how he would achieve a single payer system when he couldn't even get a public option with an entirely Democratic Congress. And yet when it comes to something like reparations, he says that -- he dismisses it as completely unfeasible.

BURNET: Do you, though, would you acknowledge that that what Chelsea Clinton said, when she said he wanted to take away Medicaid, was disingenuous or misleading? I mean, he wants free health care for everybody, right? He wants universal health care. So, to imply he was getting rid of Obamacare was a little bit off. Wasn't it?

FALLON: Actually, the proposal he put out Sunday night two hours before the debate, all the concerns Hillary Clinton has been putting out for the last several weeks. Hillary Clinton warned that what he was calling for was going to cost taxpayers across the board, including middle class households. He had to acknowledge in the plan he put out, 9 percent tax increase, indeed, is there for working class people.

And then he had to switch his original plan that he introduced over the course of two decades in Congress because it was state run. Hillary Clinton pointed out that would put people's health care at risk by devolving authority to GOP governors. So he switched that aspect of his plan quite crucially. He switched to a federally administered plan, acknowledging the criticism that Hillary Clinton had made.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Brian, thank you very much. I appreciate your time responding to that tough new poll out of New Hampshire, and the national poll.